Tough times for ruggers

Dec 13, 2005

UGANDA has been handed a tough rugby draw in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games rugby 7s in March, but whether they are making the trip will be decided when the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) technical meets over the weekend.

By Norman Katende

Pool D: South Africa, Samoa, Tonga, Uganda
March 16 Samoa v Uganda
S. Africa v Uganda
Tonga v Uganda

UGANDA has been handed a tough rugby draw in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games rugby 7s in March, but whether they are making the trip will be decided when the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) technical meets over the weekend.

Uganda put up a dismal performance in the Dubai 7s early this month, losing all games without making a try and UOC fears humiliation in Melbourne.

UOC sources said the Zambia rugby union faced similar fears and over the weekend withdrew their team saying they had no capacity to field a competitive team at the games.

Zambia’s place in Pool B, which also has Fiji, Scotland and Canada, will be taken by the tiny South Pacific island of Niue, the best ranked among teams not invited for the games.

UOC president Maj. Gen. Francis Nyangweso said that they were still waiting for a report from the Uganda Rugby Union on the Dubai 7s’ trip, which he said was meant to be a build up to the games.

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